EARLY this month, Toyota Motor Philippines Corporation (TMP) further cemented its position as the leading automotive manufacturer and mobility company in the Philippines, selling more than 2 million units since it started operations in 1988. Before 1988 Toyota cars were assembled and sold by Delta Motor Corp.
Upon its return TMP released in rapid succession, the Corolla (October 1989), the Liteace (April 1990), the Corona (April 1991) and the granddaddy of all utility vehicles, the Tamaraw in October 1991. It has since released nearly a hundred models and variants of each, almost all best sellers, the latest of which are the all-new Raize and the completely upgraded Avanza.
Behind the success of the Toyota brand in the Philippines are its dealerships.
In 1989, there were only four dealers in the whole country. That quickly multiplied by an average of two each year or so, that by its 25th year there we over 50 dealers. Just before the pandemic shut down the world TMP had some 66 dealers all over the country employing thousands of people in service, sales and administrative roles, in both the mother company and its dealerships.
Brand presence is what Toyota dealerships bring to the car marque.
“We are always looking to expand Toyota Motor Philippines’ dealership presence across the country, since we believe that having a wide network of dealers and service centers is essential to providing the best possible customer experience,” TMP President Atsuhiro Okamoto said.
The pandemic did not stop the expansion of dealerships.
In 2020, 4 more Toyota dealerships were set up in between 2019 to 2020. By the end of 2021 there were 72 dealerships–47 in Luzon (18 in Metro Manila, 29 in North and South Luzon, 14 in Visayas, and 11 in Mindanao). Add to that the premium Lexus dealership in Bonifacio Global City and there are 73 dealerships all over the country.
“But more than just growing our number of sites, it’s more about carefully planning how we are going to serve the needs of prospective and existing customers in each area – not just for vehicle sales, but for more convenient and accessible aftersales services,” Okamoto explained.
The two years in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic also provided opportunities for innovation at Toyota dealerships. This includes online presence and creating a strong digital touchpoint with customers.
Salespeople started using social media to begin selling cars. Dealerships like Toyota Calamba developed YouTube stars like Karen Pilapil who was very adept in selling cars online, combining selling talents with broadcasting skills. By the middle of 2020, almost every Toyota dealership had a YouTube channel and their own brand ambassador, bringing what used to be sales competition on the showroom floor to the virtual stage.
While Toyota’s online services not only bring the brand closer to the users but also supplements their dealership operations, Lee Junia, General Manager of Toyota Makati (TMI), the first Toyota dealership in the Philippines, believes that the business of selling cars cannot be purely inanimate.
Thus, when the opportunity was available TMI was the first one to put into action IATF health and safety protocols across its dealership network.
Aside from required wearing of face mask and face shield, no-touch temperature scanners and alcohol dispensers can also be found everywhere inside the dealerships while clients and visitors are required to fill out a health declaration form through a QR code. At this time none of these protocols are required but are still in place in dealerships. Just to make sure.
It is quite possible that because of these innovations, the brand was able to achieve 99,545 total sales for 2020 or about 40 percent market share just as the lockdowns were becoming lesser, but people were still afraid to go out. For 2021, that number rose to 129,101 units or a 29 percent growth and a 43 percent market share.
“With our expanded reach nationwide, we aim to produce more happy customers through, convenience, ownership experience, and enjoying the Toyota Sure Advantage within the vehicles’ entire lifespan. The Toyota Sure Advantage guarantees that our customers for life get the most out of their beloved Toyota,” Okamoto declared.
Another innovation that TMP introduced to not only help bolster sales to assist its dealers but more importantly to ensure customer service in at its peak despite of the many limitations of the pandemic is the MyToyota app. The app added a third digital touchpoint to the official Toyota PH website, and the online store for car accessories, to the dealership network power the brand already enjoys. Okamoto calls it an integration of the “physical and virtual showroom experience.”
“We’re making our products and services more accessible through our and myTOYOTA PH app — which enable our customers to experience Toyota life in this age of modern mobility,” Okamoto adds.
The 2-million car sales milestone comes on the heels of TMP’s 20th consecutive year of Triple Crown achievement – having maintained leadership in passenger car sales, commercial vehicle sales, and overall sales in 2021. It also makes TMP one of the key manufacturers and distributors of Toyota in the Asia Pacific region, making Toyota the leading car brand in the Philippines for decades. This yearend market share is TMP’s highest in its history, and the highest in ASEAN region–all thanks to the 72-strong Toyota dealership nationwide.
